Improved railwat-rah



www mgm CHARLES H. COLLINS, Gli' NEW YQRK, N. Y., ASSlGNOR-'IO FRANK H. COLLINS, OF SAME PLACE.

Letters Patent No. 86,281, dated January 26, 1869.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAnLns H. CoLmNs, of New York city, of New York county, in the State of l New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Rails and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this application.

Previous to my invention, railroad-rails had been made double, or reversible, so that, in the event of the upper or bearing-snrlhce of the rail becoming worn and unsafe, the rail could be turned over, and a newbearing-surface brought into use.

But such reversible rails have been made in the shape of a double T, (that is, like two ordinary T-rails, having their bases joined together,) and consequently not only necessitated the consumption of double the stock of an ordinary rail, but presented the T or bearing-sur.- face only at the base to rest on the ties, and, of course, required heavy and peculiarly-formed chairs, at close intervals, to hold them securely in position.

V Such rails, on account of their great cost, and the expense of properly laying them, have not come into use in this country at all, to my knowledge.

My invention has for its object to provide areversible rail, which shall not only require less stock than the reversible rails heretofore made, but also be less costly than two separate rails, and shall present a resting-surface, or base, which will be even more ec'ient and desirable than the base of the ordinary T-rail, and, at the same time, to provide a reversible rail, which, in either of the positions in which 'it is designed tobe used, shall present a better shape to resist the strain to which it may be subjected, than rails now in use; and,'to these ends,

My invention consists in making a compound reversible rail, -so that there shall be a portion of the stock common to two T-shaped rails, as will be hereinafter more fully explained; and

My invention further consists in so making the compound reversible rail, that, in either position in which it is designed to be used, there will be a anch-portion presented, to facilitate the fastening down of the rail to theV ties, as will be hereinafter more fully explained; and

My invention further consists in making such compound reversible rail of such a shape, that the basethe {ish-plate bolts.

Similar letters in the-diiferent views indicate the same parts of the rail.

The red line` illustrates the surface of the ties on which the rail is laid, and the dotted lines illustrate the outline ofthe rails, where theyare compounded, (where the stock is co'mmon to both contours,) in cross-section` The cross-section at iig. 3 is taken through the holes which are made for the bolts ofthe ordinary sh-jointv1 plates.

A and A are the heads or wheel-surfaces of the'twc rails,

B and B', their bases or tie-surfaces, and

C and G', their Shanks or stems.

The shape of the rails, or compound rail, is clearly illustrated by the drawings.

'It will be seen, by a careful observation of fig. 2, that, embraced within the whole, are the outlines or contours of two ordinary-shaped T-rails, (such as now in common use,) and it will be observed that, as a large portion of the whole figure is common to both T-shapes, the rail, as an entirety, embodies much less metal or stock than two separate T-rails of the same cross-sectional area.

d d are the holes for bolting on the ishplates.

When the rail is placed with the base B on the ties, so as to present for use the surface A, the base B forms part of the stem of rail A B C, and constitutes a brace or strengthening-enlargement of the latter, and the same peculiarity will be observed when the rail is reversed, the base B then forming a brace to the stem of rail A B' C.

In each position in which the rail may be used, a portion of one of the heads extends downward imto the ties, (which are notched out to receive it,) and by this means the .rail is interlocked with the ties, so that it is less liable to slide, or move sidewise, and requires fewer chairs to insure its retention in the proper place.

It will be observed that, in either position in which the rail is to be used, it presents, on one side, a anch or foot-like portion at 3, (very similar to the anch of a common T-rail,) which aiords great convenience in the securing of the rail to the ties, by spikes, and it will also be seen that the holes d el for the fish-plate bolts afford accommodation for spikes in that part of the rail which happens to be down, and by means of which the rail is held firmly on the ties.

In lieu 'of having the rail shaped as seen at figs. 1 and 2, it may be hollowed out all along, (or have depressions at intervals punched out,) as seen at fig. 3, to more eectually accommodate the spikes, and to facilitate' the spiking-down of the rail.

vBy reason of the peculiar shape (or manner of compounding the two T-shapes) illustrated, the holes through which the bolts of the fish-plates pass, in that l i I Il ld part of the rail which is uppermost, become suitable for the Ainsertion of the spikes,`(for spiking down the rail,) when said part of the rail is turned downward.

Of course the chairs which are employed should be made tu suit the shape of the rail, and so as to embrace, in one side, the angular portion at 2, and on the other, the projecting portion 3 of the rail-head, (which is not in use,) and such spikes may be used for spiking the rails to the ties, as will head over these points, 2 and 3,` and securely hold the rail down.

The shape of the rail may be somewhat varied, so as to change the relative outlines of the two Ts in the cross-sectional contours, but I have shown about the vshape Which I propose to employ.

It will be seen that my compound reversible rail possesses in each of its parts greater strength than either the single ordoubleT-rail heretofore used, While, at the same time, it is of comparatively cheap manufacture, and can be readily fastened down rmly on the ties.

Having described mynew compound reversible rail, so that those skilled can fully understand it,

What I claim as new, aud desire to secure by Ilet- The compound rail, made with the top'surfaces of the two heads and the under surfaces of the two bases at acute angles to each other, so that the under surface of the base of each shall form one side of the stem of the other, substantially as described. ,Y

Also, a compound reversible rail, shaped substantially as described, so as to present the anched (or foot-like) base iu either position iu which it is intended to be used,

In testimony whereof, 'I have hereunto set my hand and seal, this lst day of December, 1868.

CEAS. H. COLLINS. [L s.] Witnessesz' GHAs. A. Scorr,

FREDERIC A. SAYER. 

